1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and processes for reclaiming goods, and more particularly to a system and process for automatically separating reusable goods from unusuable goods, gathering data on the goods, automatically opening the packaging containing the resuable goods and removing the reusuable goods from their opened packagings. The present invention further provides for automatically segregating various types of reusable goods prior to the removal of the reusuable goods from their opened containers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various systems and processes are known for reclaiming returned goods. These systems and processes will vary from industry to industry and are dictated, to a certain extent, by the nature of the goods.
In the tabacco industry, for example, in reclaiming reusable tobacco from returned cigarettes it is important to separate competitors' brands from one's own brands because of quality and composition differences. In addition, for the reason that taxes are prepaid, a tax credit can be obtained on tobacco products that have been returned unsold.
While equipment for opening packages containing returned tobacco goods and separating the tobacco goods from the opened packages are known, the preliminary work such as sorting competitors' brands from one's own brands, and the required documentation accounting for the quantity of tobacco goods returned were done manually.
Examples of equipment for opening cigarette packages and removing cigarettes from the opened packages are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,386,320 issued on June 4, 1968 to J. R. Pinkham and U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,499 issued on Apr. 11, 1978 to R. E. Thatcher.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,386,320 teaches an apparatus for opening cigarette packages. The packages to be opened are transported on a conveyor belt between two cutting wheels. The packages are arranged longitudinally on the belt in single file. The cutting wheels revolve in a horizontal plane and are spaced apart by a distance somewhat less than the width of a package so that each cutting wheel makes a slit in an opposite side of the package. The slit packages then move to a second conveyor belt located perpendicularly to the first conveyor belt. When the slit packages are transferred to the second conveyor belt they are arranged transversely on the belt in single file. A cutting wheel which revolves in a vertical plane is located over the second conveyor belt so that the packages moving on the second belt are severed. The severed sections are conveyed to tumbler drums to separate the wrappers from the tobacco.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,499 teaches an apparatus for opening cigarette packages which includes a closed air duct conveyor having a centrifugal fan at one end and a cyclone hopper at the other. A high velocity air stream passes through the conveyor duct in a direction from the centrifugal fan toward the hopper. Cigarette packages to be opened are conveyed on an enclosed conveyor belt into the centrifugal fan which breaks open the packages. The smaller pieces of the broken packages move with the air stream in the conveyor duct to the cyclone hopper. The heavier pieces of packages fall back into the fan for continued impact by the fan until they are sufficiently broken to be carried by the air stream in the conveyor duct to the cyclone hopper.